Spinning, twisting, and similae textile machines



, Sept/ 15, 1942.` f L. MQ c'o-'rclf-,IETT 2,295,935

SPINNING., TWl`STING',`` AND SIMILAR TEXTILE MACHINE Filed AprilV so, 1940 l 9 sheets-met 1 Sept. 15, 1942.` L. M. coTcHETT 2,295,935

, SPINNING, TWISTING, AND SIMILAR TEXTILE MACHINE .Filled April so, 1940 9 sheets-sheet 3 Sept. 15, 1942- -l.. M. coTcHE-rT SPINNING, TWISTINCT, AND SIMILAR TEXTILE MACHINE Fii'ed April so, 1940 Spt. 15, 1942. L M, do'rHE'l-T v2,295,935

' sP1NN`ING,. TwIsTINe, AND SIMILAR TEXTILE MACHINE A u Filed April` so, 194e gsneets-sngem:

Sept. 1,5, 1942. L M COTCHETT 2,295,935

'"PINN'INcr, TwIsTING, AND SIMILAR TEXTILE MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 vFilled April 30, 1940 sept. 15, `1942.

| M. coTcHETT SPINNING, TWISTING, AND SIMILAR TEXTILE MACHINE Filed April 50,1940 9 sheets-sheet 5 Inventor Sept l5 n942- l.. M. coms-:ETT 2,295,935

SPINNING, TWISTING, AND' SIMILAR TEXTILE MACHINE 9 sheets-sheet 7' Filed Apil 5o, 194G R TEXTILE MACHINE f sepi. 15, 1942.

ANDWSIMILA Filed April 50, 51940 9 Sheds-Sheet 9 lPatented Sept. Al 5, 41942 y UNITED STAT tion of Maine Application Aprilvso, 1940, serial No. 332,465l

42 claims.' (oi. 51-1) This invention relates -to spinning, twisting and roving frames and other textile machines adapted to be built in sectional form, all of which will be hereinafterreferred to 4generically as spinning frames.

In manufacturing these machines according to the methods heretofore used commercially, various parts of the frame structure, usually consisting chiey of castings, are produced, machined and assembled. The spindles and drawing rollslater are installed, together with the builder motio, the head-end mechanism and the other accessories and details, the various parts are adjusted, and the frame is operated, for a suicient length of time to develop and cure any mechanical defects.A Thereafter the-machine is disassembled and shipped to the mill which has purchased it. There the machine is again assembled' and adjusted for commercial operation. This erecting and adjusting operation is perfcrmed carefully to the end that, when the machine is left, it shall be in as perfect running condition as possible.

have become worn to different degrees and in various ways because they have been run in a misaligned condition. Consequently, they must be repaired orlreplaced inorder to restore the machine again to its proper runningcondition.

These considerations have long been recognized, and it is customary in most mills to shut down spinning frames .at stated intervals for overhauling and realignment.

A further condition in this branch of the textile industry with which the present invention is concerned, is the` fact that it has been the practice from time out of mind to manufacture spinning frames solely to order. In other Words, the machines are custom made. While in some measure this practice has been due to the natural tendency to cater to the ideas of the customers,

far more important reasons have been the nature of these machinestructures and the necessity for accommodating the great number of gauges,-

i. e., the distance between the center lines of spindles.

After any such machine has been in operation p for a. year or thereabouts, it is practically always found that difficulties :of one kind or another begin to make their appearance. For example, there may be an increase in the number of ends down in the course of a days' run, the quality of the yarn may begin to decline, mechanical failures may appear, and an increase in power consumption nearly always occurs. This is practically always the history of a spinning frame after it has been in operation for a considerable length of time.

A searching 4investigation for the reasons involved in such developments shows that misalignment of the bearingswhich support the long lines of rolls or shafting is the most important cause. These machines are relatively long, frames of from fifty to sixty feet in length being common. They necessarily are supported on'the mill floor, and as'time goes on, partsof the oor on which the machine rests undergo unequal changes in level. These changes are transmitted to the frame and create a misalignment 4of the Serious objections to this practice, however, are that it greatly increases 'the expense of manufacture and it makes anything approaching prompt delivery impossible, especially in view of the very extensive use of cast ironl throughout the machine. y

The present invention deals especially vwith the foregoing conditions. and with the problem of overcoming them. It aims to devise a spinning "frame which will accommodate the misalignments caused bythe unpredictable and inevitable changes in floor level, to do away with most of the cast iron formerly used in machines of this character, and particularly to devise a construction which lends itselfto standardization so that -the parts caribe carried in stock and a resultant exibility in,V manufacture, production and delivery can be realized.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate a typical embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a spinning frame constructed in accordance with this invention, the machine being partially disy mantled; y

bearings in which the drawing rolls or the cylinder shaft run, thus causing the rolls or shaft to ehafe and wear, and disturbing the correct relationship of the various spinning instrumentalities to each other, with' such results as those -above mentioned.

The obvious remedy is to take the machine out of production and level it up thoroughly. In the meantime, however, the various machine parts Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the opposite end of the frame from that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical, transverse, sectional view of the frame with many of the spinning instrumentalities omitted, some of the parts broken away and others shown in section;-

Fig. 4 is a front elevation showing chiey the gearing at the head end of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, with .some parts in Fig. 'l is a perspective view showing the rela tionship'between one of the lifter rods, the ring,

rail, and a portion of the thread board;

Figs. 8 and 9 are side and edge views, respectively, of a foot which rests on the floor and supports parts vof adjoining frame sections;

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are sectional views approximately on the lines IIJ-i0, Il-ll and I2--I2, respectively, Fig. 3;

Fig. 13 is a vertical, sectional view through the spindle rail;

Fig. 14 is a horizontal, sectional view on the plane of the lower drawing rolls at one side of the machine frame and illustrates the manner in which these rolls are connected with each other and with the gears at the head end; and

Fig. 15 lis a side view, partly inv section, showing the manner in which the cylinder is supported.

Preliminary to a detailed description of the various parts of the machine, it may be pointed -out that in order to deal with the problems of misalignment and standardization above referred to, this invention proposes to make ya spinning frame in relatively short standard'sections, connected together end tq end in such a manner that they can accommodate themselves individually to variations in floor level. Each section is a substantially complete spinning unit. A head end mechanism common to all the sections is provided to operate them. It consists of a unit independent of said sections and it drives the rst `own bearings regardless of the fact that corresponding rolls or shafts of adjoining sections, and which they drive or which are ldriven by them, may be out of alignment with them. In other words, the rolls and shafts of each individual unit are held continuously in correct relationship to their bearings and to the other spinning elements with which they cooperate, but the joints connecting corresponding rolls and shafts of adjoining sections accommodate misalignment while still maintaining undisturbed the driving relationship between said parts.

For purposes of explanation a spinning fram composed of three sections only has been illustrated in Fiv. 1, but since all of the sectionsare substantially identical in construction, any number of them may be assembled to form a single Vmachine havingthe desired number of spindles.

In Fig. 1 these sections are lindicated, respectively, at A, B and Cl and parts of the last mentioned section are shown in Fig. 2. From these figures and Fig. 3 it will be seen that each section includes a frame comprising two end plates 2 and 3 of unique form. .While each of these plates is exactly like the other, the plates at the head and foot of each section are designated. by different numerals for convenience of description. Each of these end plates consists of a large piece of metal plate punched or died out to the desired shape and dimensions and provided around practically its entire margin with an edge ange of the nature illustrated in Fig. 6. The machine shown is of the usual duplex type. That is, it includes two rows of spindles, one on each side. Each is associated with its own set of drawing rolls and both sets of spindles are operated from a central driving cylinder. Accordingly, the plates 2 and 3 are made with recesses a, Fig. 3, at opposite sides thereof to receive the spindles and the ring rails. The plates also have aper- .tures b to take the shaft for the driving cylinder and legs c equipped with feet adapted to rest on the iioor. .A

Considering an individual section, it will be observed that itstwo end plates 2 and 3 are secured rigidly together by a tube 4 and by the two spindle rails 5 5. Each of these parts is made of relatively large dimensions and of such construction that it is well adapted to function as a truss. The tube is provided at opposite ends with anged heads which are secured to the end plates by two upper screws 6--6 and two lower screws 1'|. The spindle rails are of hollow metal construction, as best shown in Fig. 11 and 13, and are equipped at eachfend with a plate or plug 8 completely filling the cross-sectional dimensions of the rail and welded to it around its entire edge. Screws 9 passing through the plates 8 secure the opposite ends of each rail to the end plates 2 and 3 of its individual section, as indicated in Fig. 11. 'I'hus these parts 4 and 5 for each section secure the end plates for that section together with the necessary degree of rigidity to hold the bearings for the shafts and the various spinning instrumentalities in the proper cooperative relationship to each other at all times.

In assembling van individual section the end plates and their connecting members 4 and 5 are set up and secured rigidly together, as just described, land such other parts may be added as desired. At any convenient point after the assembly of these framev pieces ,the number of sections required for the entire machine may then be secured together end to end, as shown in Fig. 1. 'This fastening of the sections to each other is accomplished partly by the way in which the upper edge of the anged heads Ill-I0 of the tube or pipe 4 are secured by the two screws 6-6 ,to the end plates 2 and 3, both these screws passing through the end plates and being threadedv into the roll stands i2-I2, as shown -in Figs. 3 and 10. Additional screws I3|3, Fig. 3, also secure adjacent portions of these plates to the roll stands. Neither the anchorage of the spindle rails to the plates nor of the screws 1-1 to the heads l0--I0 secures adjoining plates to each other, as will be evident from an inspection of Figs. 1() and 11. At several other points, however, bearingv blocks are secured between the plates by screws which pass through the respective plates and are threaded into the blocks vso that the plates are secured together at these locations. Such bearings are shown at Il, I5, I6 and I1, Fig'. I3, and the fastening of the bearing pieces I 5, I6 and I1 is shown more clearly in Figs. 6, 12 and 11, respectively. It should be observed that the edges of the flanges of ladjoiningend plates -2 and 3 abut against each other, as shown for example in Fig. 6, and the dimensions of the parts are made such that there is room between the two plates for bearing pieces of substantial thickness. l

An additional connection of the plates to each other is made at the bearing I8 for the shaft 2l of the driving cylinder 2|, Figs. 3 and 15. Also. the legs c-c of adjoining end plates are secured together at their lower 'ends by a bolt 22, Figs. 8 and 9, one of the legs being slotted to provide for relative vertical adjustment of these parts. Both these legs fit loosely into a foot 23. adapted to rest plates of-their respective sections, plus the spacing of these` different; forms of anchorage, 'are useful in providingthatlexibility of connection of one sectionl to another which is important in enabling the frame, as a Whole, to accommodate itself to departures of successive portions of the floor on which it rests from a common horizontal plane.

For example, assume that the floor settles in such a. manner as to causethe end plates connecting the sections A and B to sag by` a distance of, say, an eighth of an inch with reference A hole 26 in the foot 23 atend plates exactly like those shown at 2 and E, are secured to the latter to complete the frame structure and to provide for the installation of to corresponding plates at the head end of the frame. It will be evident by referring to Fig. 5 that as this settling of the end plates occurs, there will be a tendency for the upper edges of the flanges l of the tubes Il to tip toward each other, while their lower edges will tend to swing apart. The upper edges are firmly secured to the roll stands |2 I2, Figs. 3 and 10, by the screwsi 8 6 so thatthey cannot move but theirv lower edges are secured to the end plates merely by the screws 1 1. These plates are not fastened together for a considerable distance away from the screws 1 1. They are made of such stockthat while they are stable in their own planes they are flexible transversely. Consequently, they can flex under the forces so applied to them. Similarly, at the points N il, Figs. 3 and l1, the end plates are firmly secured together, but below these points and at the sides of them, the plates areI free from each other. The ring rails 5 5 act here in much the same manner i be made at only very infrequent intervals.

the lifter rods, bearing blocks,'and the like, necessary at these points.v In Fig. l the terminal plate at the head. end of the machine is shown at 2' and that at the opposite end at 3'. These plates are secured to their abutting end plates in the same vmanner as those above referred to.

Considering again an individual section, each spindle rail 5 supports a seresjofgspindles, preferably `arranged in pairs, as shown in `section A, Fig. l, so that they may be'driven by tapes in the usual manner. While this construction lends itself to the manufacture of a wide variety of gauges and aords a rate and economy of production substantially greater than the prior arrangements, it is contemplated that for general purposes a standard section will be produced in which the distance between the centers of the rst and last spindle may be say thirty inches. Such a dimension will accommodate three 'common gauges, namely, three inches, three and threequarter inches and five inches. These may be regarded as fine, medium and coarse gauges. The numbers of spindles in each spindle rail will be ten, eight and six, respectively, for these different: gauges. This will satisfy most users.

However, the matter of making sections of different lengths for other gauges may be readily accomplished merelyby changing the length of spindle projecting into an oil well or reservoir' common to all the spindles. Because of the size of this well, replenishment of the oil supply need fact, it may be desirable to reduce the oil capacity f of the well by partially filling it with blocks of as does the tube Il, and the plates spring slightly V'portions of the endl plates so affected is notv great, probably a few thousandths of an'inch, but it is sufficient for the purposes of this invention..

Under conditions such as those just described a different action occurs at the end plate 2, Fig. 5, at the right-hand end section A. Here the upper edges of the ange l@ and of the ring rails 5 5 tend to tip outwardly, but they cannot move appreciably because of the fact that they are securely anchored at these points. However, their lower edges can tip 'inward somewhat by buckling or springing those parts of the end plate to which they are fastened and which are not rigidly secured to the next section.

Thus this construction provides a limited degree of exibility in the structural members of the sections enabling them toA make those. movements necessary to adjust themselves to variations in floor level-but Without disturbing their operative relationship to each other. The thicknesses and kinds'of metal of which the end plates should be made to accomplish this result Vwill readily suggest themselvesto engineers. However, plates made of soft steelan eighth of an inch to three-sixteenths of an inch in thickness have proved satisfactory.

At the opposite ends of a series oi' these sections. or. units, what might be termed terminal wood or other suitable material as yshown in Fig".` 13 at 2t. Oil may be introduced through a ller 3@ and may be` drained oli through a drain hole normally closed by-a plug (not shown). The spindles are drivenby tapes or bands running over the driving cylinder 2i in any usual or convenient manner. y

Cooperating with each set of spindles is a ring rail 3l. Referring to Figs. l and 7, it will be observed that this rail is made in sections meeting approximately at the junction of adjoiningv framesections. Opposed ends of the rail sections, however, are cut on transverse lines d and e, Fig. 7, offset longitudinally of the rail, and these two offset cuts are connected by a length- Wise -fcut f, so that the two adjoining ends-over lap lengthwise of the frame while lying in the same plane. Both these end portions rest on a block 32 which is split to embrace a lifter'rod 33. The two sections of the block are secured together by screws 35 and are clamped by them firmly to the lifter rod. One end of a rail section is secured to the block by a screw 311v but the opposite end is free and simply rests on the block.

Also the cuts d and e provide a sufficient degree 'abutting end plates of adjoining sections. `Each 'I'his rail construction,-

rod extends vertically across the space a, Fig. 3, in the end plates and it is guided both above and below the ring rail in the bearings I6 and I1. Thus it is better supported mechanically with reference to its load than in the usual spinning frames. It may be operated by any convenient form of builder motion.

Each bank of spindles must be equipped withl a set of rolls for feeding the fibrous strands to it and, if desired, drawing or attenuating these strands; Such feeding and drawing mechanisms Ymay be similar to those heretofore used with machines of this type, but the present invention provides a novel arrangement for supporting and driving them. Each machine section is equipped with two sets of rolls, one for each bank of spindles, and the lower rolls are supported solely by the roll stands I2-I2 at opposite ends of the section, no intermediate stands being provided for them. Referring to Figs. 3 and 14, it

Awill be seen vthat the set of lower rolls includes 40. The opposed end faces of these two roll sections are grooved or slotted diametrally but at right angles to each other to receive the correspondingly disposed tangs or ribs of an intermediate' disk-like key 4I. Consequently, this key transmits torque from one roll to the other. Such a coupling structure is known as an Oldham joint. It will be evident that if the sections A and B should become so changed in position as to throw these two roll sections out of alignment with each other, such misalignment would be accommodated by a joint of the char'-,

, acter just described because the key 4I can slide radially with reference to each roll While remaining in torque transmitting relation to both. The ball bearings 38-38are so designed that they will align themselves with any reasonable change in position of the axis of the roll section 35 which they support. And such changes occur due to movements of the floor, as above described.

These ball bearings also serve to hold the rolll axially positionedv in its frame section.

The same construction is used between the opposed ends of corresponding roll sections ithroughout the machine. As above stated, the frame for each section is inherently rigid so that while such variations in floor level as those above referred to may throw a section out of a level position, the shafts and rolls in that section will still remain in their normal relationship to each other and to their ring rails and spindle rails. lThus the cooperative relationship of the elements of an individual sectional unit of the machine will not be disturbed by such a change in floor level. Also, by providing flexible joints for transmitting torque from each rotary roll or shaft of one section to the corresponding elementI of the next, the functions of the machine as a whole will not be impaired by such movements of the floor and any chang of the rolls in their bearings due to these conditions will be-eiectually avoided.

Y While the rear roll 31, Fig. 14, is not mounted in ball bearings. since it revolves at a Very low speed, it is given suflicient freedom in its bearings so that it is self-aligning or, if desired, the bearings may be made of some common or suitable self-aligning type. The bearings for the joints connecting the roll sections may be packed with grease or lubricated in any convenient manner. Preferably each roll stand is equipped with acover 42, Figs. l and 2, held in place by one or more screws.

A similar arrangement is provided for connecting the shaft or shaft sections supporting the tape driving cylinder 2I as shown in Fig. 15. Ball bearings at opposite ends of each cylinder length ysupport its shaft sections for self-alignment. Also, the opposed adjacent faces of the shaft ends at each bearing I8 are grooved at right angles to each other to receive arotary key 42 having diametral ribs or tangs extending from opposite sides thereof and fitting into said grooves, so that this joint connects the two shaft portions together in torque transmitting relationship and such relationship is not disturbed by any reasonable degree of angular misalignment of the sections. A cap or cover 43 is provided for the bearing.

The customary lappets 44, Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 7,

are utilized to guide the strands from the delivery rolls to the travellers on the rings associated with the spindles, and these lappets are supported on a thread board 45 which may consist simply of a length of angle iron, as shown in Figs. 3 and 7. A very limited traversing movement of this thread board 'is desirable and a novel arrangement is provided for producing this movement from the' motion of the lifter rods 33. Referring to the right-hand side of Fig. 3, it will be seen that a vertical rod 46 is guided through the bearing blocks I5 and IB for axial movement. A U-shaped yoke 4l, best shown in Fig. 7, is secured to the lower end of the rod and is curved around the adjacent edge of the end plates 2 and 3. At opposite sides of this end plate assembly lthe yoke carries two vertical rods 48-48 and the thread board 45 for any individual section is secured to and is supported on the upper ends of two` of these rods located at opposite ends of the section. The traversing movement of the thread board is produced by means of an inclined bar 50, Fig. 3, pivoted to the upper end of the lifter rod 33 andextending backwardly and downwardly, this bar being located in the space between two end plates. It passes through a slot in a bell crank lever 5I and under a roll 52 carried by said lever, the lever being fulcrumed on a stationary frame piece 53. As the lifter rod 33 rises, it carries the right-hand end, Fig. 3, of the bar 50 up with it, and in so doing slowly tips the bell crank lever 5I in a counterclockwise direction. The forward arm of this lever lies under and engages a roll 54, carried by 4 the rod 46, so that as the lever is slowly tipped it acts on this roll to-lift the rod 46 and thus gradually raises the thread board 45. The same action, of course, takes place at each of the lifter rods so that all the thread boards rise in unison. They are lowered slowly as the lifter rods descend. A key 55, Fig. 3, lying in a key- Way in the rod 46 prevents this rod from turning around its own axis during its traversing movement.

The creel or stand which supports the packages of sliver, roving, or other material to be fed to the spinning instrumentalities is mounted on upright rods orl bars 456, Fig. 1, and each of these bars is supported as shown at the righthand side of Fig. 3. That is, thellower end of the rod there illustrated rests in a socket formed in the bearing plate lwhile a higher portion of it passes through and is steadied inthe bearing block |4. Preferably the strands to be operated upon -are led from the supply packages supported in the creel down around a grooved guide rod 51, Figs. 1 and 3, and are thence guided to the drawing rolls. The latter are covered by inclined plates 58 which shed lint and ily and prevent it from accumulating on the rolls. ,l

1 As above indicated, the head end mechanism or driving mechanisms for the various operating instrumentalities is alseparate'unit and is so associated with the spinning sections that it can readily be disconnected from them for repairs or forany other reason, and may be replaced by a new one, if desired. In spinning frames as heretofore constructed; the'gearing has been mounted on a large cast viron plate at the head end of the frame, and the bear,

ings for the various rolls and shafts atV this end of the frame have been mounted directlyr on this casting. Consequently, one of the reasons for som-e of the misalignment troubles experienced with these constructions, has been the fact that this large casting warps and Jndergoes changes in shape due to its internal stresses. In performing the initial manufacturing opera. tions, care is taken to bore the holes, ream the bushings, and adjust the bearings with great accuracy, but the subsequent warping and distortion or the casting on which they are mounted results, after only Ia very brief interval of time, in so changing their positions that this accuracy of alignment is lost. And such warping continues for a long time kdue to the gradualrelease of strains inherent in the castings.

With a view to overcoming these difiiculties in construction of the head end unit, a supporting. frame for the gearing is provided comprisinga main horizontal bar 68, Figs. l, 4, and 5, in which the lower ends of two pairs of upright parallel rods or posts 8| and 62 are mounted. Located on one or more of these pairs of posts at suitable intervals are several heavy split brackets, each bracket consisting of two steel plates or bars machined to receive the posts 6I or 62, or both, on whichV it is mounted, the brackets being adjustably clamped to the posts by any suitable. number of bolts. In the particular oo nstruction shown they bars and, posts are of crcular section and may consist simply of standard steelv shapes readily obtainable in the open market.

These parts may be easily machined'and assembled in such a relationship that all the brackets will be "accurately positioned, `and because they 4are produced by fabricating operations which leaves -the metal vin a stable condition, a frame so made will be free from distortion due to 'inherent internal strains.l The. plates :of which the bracket is composed may bebolted together and then drilled and Vreamed, to'receive the posts, the meeting faces of the plates being spaced suiciently to give theI desired clearance for clamping. Several such brackets are shown in Fig. 4 at 63, 64, 65, 66, and 61.

' spectively, by means of which it may be driven.

All of the gearing at the head'end of the mas chine is driven either directly or indirectly through this shaft.

Referring again to Fig. 4, the .main train of gearing comprises a pinion 'I2 fast on the shaft 28. It meshes with a gear 'I3 ,having a pinion 14 revolving therewith and.driving a. gear v'|5.

Revolving with the latter is a pinion I6 driving [a gear 11 which operates through a pinion 'Il to drige a gear 88. This gear meshes with another gear 8| fast on the extension 35' of the lefthand lower roll shaft 35, Fig. 14. Another gear 82, like the gear 88 and located beside it and meshing therewith, drives the gear 83 on the extension` 35' of the front roll at the opposite side of the frame.` From the pinion 84, revolving with .the gear 82,.motion is transmitted to the rear drawing roll 31 through gears 85, 86, 81, 88, 89, 99', and 98, the last mentioned gear being fast on the shaft 31'. Through intermediate gears 9| and 92 this train also drives y 85 being mounted to accommodate such change.

The twist put into the work depends upon the ratio between the speeds of the front drawing roll 35 and the cylinder 2|,andthis ratio may be varied by changing the gear 18, commonly referred to as the twist change gear, its cooperating gear 'll being mounted on a swinging arm 94 so that-it can be adjusted to accommodate gears I8 of diierent diameters.

In order to change the rateat which the yarn will be wound on the bobbin or spool, commonly called the lay, and which depends on the ratio between. the speed of the lower drawing roll 35 and the traversing speed at which the ring rail is driven by the builder motion, the gear 82 drives the builder mechanism through a gear 95, a change gear 96, another gear 91 cooper-atv ing therewith and, in the Present machine, additional gears 89, 98, |88, and |.8I which transmit motion from the change gear 96 to the builder motion. The point at which motion is taken olf this train of gears from the gear 91 will depend upon the nature or design of the builder motion, and since this motion may take a great variety of forms, no specific builder construction l 1s here described. I In some places it is necessary to secure additional plates or brackets to the bracket shown,

`as for example, that illustrated at |83 inFigs. 1

and 5, in order to afford support for certain of' the gears 'at the back of the main part of the fr amc, or to provide for the attachmentof the head end unit to the section A. Also, a plate |84 1s secured to the frame at the back of the entire mechanism and is fastened to the end plate 2', Figs. 1 and 5, in essentially the same manner that the end plates 2 and 3 are fastened to eachother. A vU-shaped support |85, Fig.' 1, whieh carries the bearing Staand' the bar 68, has its oppositeends bolted to the adjacent end plates of section A and is supported partly by them and partly by i port to the right-hand end, Fig. 5, of section A. In this particular design it is necessary to remove the gearing which drives the builder mon tion. Most o'f this gearing is held in place by a screw threaded into the right-hand end of the shaft |09, Fig. 5. After removing this gearing the supporting plate ||0 for the other parts of this mechanism that must be removed can be disconnected from the block or bracket ||2 on which it is mounted. This bracket, in turn, is clamped to' the bar 60 in the same manner that such brackets asthose shown at B3 and 64 are fastened to the upright bars 6|. In other designs this removal or the builder motion gears may notbe necessary. After removal of this unit it may be repaired and returned again to its operative position, or it may be replaced by a new one, and neither such removal or replacement of the head end mechanism disturbs any of the parts of the spinning sections.

While such removal and replacement is.per mitted primarily by the fact that the mechanism is made as an independent unit, it is also facilitated by the :further fact that the shaft 20 which drives the cylinder shaft 20, and the shafts 35', 36 and 31 which drive the lower drawing rolls, are all connected to their respective rolls or sha'fts'in the spinning unit A, Fig. 14, lby disk keys 4|, as shown in the latter figure. Thus these shaft sections in the head end will slide freely out of their bearings during removal of the driving mechanism and can be re-inserted again,-

- when desired, and connected up to their respective rolls or shafts by means olf the elements Il. These joints are housed in a bearingbracket l2 supported by the end plates 2 and 2' exactly as corresponding joints are mounted in other parts of the frame, and they accommodate any misalignment of corresponding shaft elements of the head mechanism and those in 4section A. In this connection it may abe lpointed out that no distinction should be made between the terms shafts and rolls so far as their cooperation with the flexible joints is concerned, these words being used merely in accordance with the customary terminology in the trade.

A removable casing, partly shown at |01 in Fig. 5, cooperates. with the back plate |04 to enclose the gearing in the head end mechanism.

From the foregoing it will be evident to those skilled in this art that the invention provides a machine which represents aradically new sol-ution for the problems dealt with in spinning, twistand roving frames. Cast iron, with its objectionable features, has been substantially eliminated. The construction of the machine in standard sectional units permits manufacture by more economical methods, Vfor which prior constructions were not adapted. The inventionv also enables a manufacturer to carry the various parts or assemblies of parts of the machine in stock so that deliveries can be made-far more promptly than has been possible heretofore. This :fact permits a more uniform and stable manufacturing program to be followed. Shipping expenses also are reduced, and there is not the same need for assembling a machine completely and running it for a considerable period of time before it can be shipped.} The ability of these machinesl to operate normally, eciently and undisturbed by anychange in oor level which may reason,

accesso ably be expected is an advantage very important to the mill using them because it avoids factors winch have heretofore hampered mill production and have adversely affected quality of the prod- While I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be evident that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, lwhat I desire to claim as new is: A p

1'. A spinning frame comprising a series of substantially identical sections, each section being a substantially complete spinning unit with its own frame adapted to rest on the floor and with rotary shafts individual to it, means connecting the frames of said sections together end to end to hold them in a definite cooperative relationship toeach other, said means and said frames being constructed -and arranged to permit relative movement of adjoining frames to enable each of them to accommodate itself to the requirements of the oor on which it rests while supporting the shafts of its own section in substantially fixed operative relationship to the spinning elements with which it cooperates substantially undisturbecl by such relative movement.

2. A spinning frame comprising a series of substantially identical sections located end to end; each section having its own set of spinningY instrumentalities, including rotary shafts individual thereto and a frame rigidly supporting said instrumentalities; means securing the f'ames of said sections together end to end, and means flexibly connecting the shafts ofadjoining sections so as to drive those of one section from the corresponding shafts of the next section.

3. A spinning frame comprising a series of substantially identical sections located end to end; each section having its own set ofspinning instrumentalities, including rotaryshafts individual theretoand a frame supporting said instrumentalities; bearings at the junctions of said sections supporting the ends of the shafts' of adjoining sections; means securing the frames of said sections together end to end, andmeans flexibly connecting the shafts of adjoining sections so as to drive those of one section from the corresponding shafts of the next section.

Y 4. A spinning frame comprising a series of substantially identical sections located end to end; each section having its own set of spinning instrumentalities, including rotary shafts individual thereto and a frame supporting said instrumentalities; the frame for each section including structural members supporting the elements of its respective spinning mechanism in a definite and cooperative relationship notwithstanding misalignment of an adjacent section with reference thereto and also including end plates havingA a limited degree of transverse flexibility, and rreans securing said end plates of adjoining sections together and thereby connecting said sections end. to end.

5. A spinning frame comprising a series of subv.stantially identical sections located end to end;

each sectionhaving its own set of spinning instrumentalities, including rotary shafts individual thereto and a frame and of such rigidity as.

to support the instrumentalities mounted therefin in a xedcooperative relationship to each ited relative movement between them to enable the respective frames to accommodate themselves to variations in( the level'of the floor on which `the spinning frame is supported, and mechanism common to all of said sections lfor driving 'the spinning instrumentalities of all the sections in unison.

6. A spinning frame comprising a series of substantialiy identical sections located end to end; each section having-its own set of spinning instrumentalities, including rotary, shafts individual thereto and' a frame supporting said instrumentalities; each of said frames including end plates having a limited degree of transverse flexibility and structural members fastened securely strumentalities, including rotary shafts individi,

ual thereto and a frame supporting said instrumentalities; bearings at opposite ends of each section supporting said shafts, the shafts of the respective sections terminating at their respective bearings, andv coupling means flexibly and releasably connecting the opposed ends of each pair of corresponding shafts at said bearings.

8. A spinning frame comprising a series of substantially identical sections, located end to end;

each section having its own set of spinning instrumentalities, including rotary shafts individual thereto and a frame supporting said instru- 'mentalities; and means securing the frames of said sections together end to end, said instrui mentalities including a ring rail, and lifter rods located at the junctions of adjoining sections and supporting said ring rails.

9. A spinning fra-me comprising a vseries ofl sections located end to end; each section having its own set of spinning instrumentalities,V including spindles, a driving cylinder, and tapes driven by said cylinder for driving the spindles, each section ,also including a frame supporting said instrumentalities, means securing the frames of the sections together end to end in cooperative relationship with each other, and means connecting the cylinders of adjacent sections end to en d to drive onefrom another, the last mentioned means having sufficient flexibility to accommodate axial vmisalignment of adjacent cylinders.

10. A sectional unit for a -spinning frame,

eomprisinga set of spinning instrumentalities 'including horizontal u prising a set of spinning instrumentalities including spindles, a ring rail cooperating with 'them and a rigid frame supporting said instrumentalities in a fixed relationship to each other, said frame including two transversely disposed uprightv plates at opposite ends of the frame and horizontal structural members fastened to said plates and connecting them together, lifter rods at opposite ends of said unit supporting vsaid ring rail, and bearings mounted on said end plates and guiding said lifter rods.

12.,A sectional unit for a spinning frame 'as defined in preceding claim 10, in which bearings are mounted on said end plates both above and below the ring rail to guide said lifter rods.

13. A sectional unit for a spinning frame comv prising a set of spinning instrumentalities including spindles, a ring rail cooperating with -thein and a rigid frame supporting said instrumentalities in a fixed relationship to each other, said frame including two transversely disposed -upright plates at opposite ends of the frame,

spindle rails at opposite sides of said frame` for supporting the spindles, said rails being rigidly secured to said end plates, and one or more rigid horizontal structural members above the level of said rails, secured to said end plates, and cooperating with said rails to give rigidity'to said frame.

` 14. A spinning frame comprising a series of sections located end to end; each section having its own set o f spinning instrumentalities, including rotary shafts individual thereto and a frame supporting said instrumentalities; each of said frames including two transversely disposed plates at opposite ends thereof and structural members connecting said plates and securing them rigidly together, the edges of said end plates being flanged and the flanges of each extending toward the next adjacent section, and means securing the end plates of adjoining sections together with the flanges of the plates abutted one against another and the main portions of the plates being spaced apart.

15. In a spinning frame, the combination with spinning instrumentalities and a frame operatively supportingthem, of a head'end mechanism for driving said instrumentalities, said mechanism including its own individual frame in which elements of the mechanism are supported in cooperative relationship to each other and being organized as a unit independent of the spinning frame, means releasably securing said unit to said spinning frame in cooperative relationship thereto, and joints releasably connecting shafts of said spinning frame with their respective driving elements in said mechanism.

16. In a spinning frame, the combination with I spinning shafts and aframe supporting said instrumeninstrumentalities including lrotary talities, of a head end mechanism for driving said .instrumentalities, said mechanism including elements for driving the respective shafts of saidspinning frame and being organized as a -unit independent of the spinning frame, means releasably securing said unit to`VV said spinning section from corresponding shafts of an adjoining section. 2

11. A sectional unit for a spinning frame, .corn-f ,frame in cooperative relationship l thereto, and joints releasably connecting the shafts of said .spinning frame with their respective driving elements in said mechanism, said joints being capable of accommodating misalignment of saidy ous shafts of a spinning frame, and a frame structure individual to said section and supporting said element and said gearing in cooperative relationship to each other, said section including parts 'adapting it for attachment to and removal from a spinning frame as a complete and independent unit;

18. A spinning frame comprising a series of substantially identical sectionslocated end to end; each section having its own set of spinning instrumentalities, including rotary shafts individual thereto and a frame supporting said instrumentalities; means securing the frames of said sections together, end to end, a head end section for driving all of said spinning sections, said head end section including a frame individual to itself and means'securing said headend section releasably to the end of said series of sections and in cooperative relationship thereto.

19. A spinning frame comprising a series ofv tions to drive like shafts of one section from those of another, and 'means securing the frames of adjoining sections together end to end.

20. A spinning frame comprising a series of sections located endto end; each section having its own set of spinning instrumentalities, including rotary shafts individual thereto and a sections together end to end but permitting limited relative movement between them to enable the respective frames to accommodate themselves to variations in the level of the floor on which the spinning frame is supported, bearings at the opposite ends of e'ach section supporting the shafts for that section, and flexible joints connecting the opposed ends of each pair of corresponding shafts at said bearings, said joints including radially slidable members serving to transmit torque from one shaft to the other.

23. A spinning frame comprising a, series of sections located end to end; each section having its own set of spinning instrumentalities including rotary shafts individual thereto and a frame supporting said instrumentalities; each of said frames including two transversely disposed up'- right plates at opposite ends thereof and horizontal structural members connecting said plates and securing them rigidly together, the edges of said plates being flanged and the flanges of each extending toward and abutting against the end plate of an adjoining section, said plates being flexible transversely but stable in their own planes, and means connecting said end plates of adjoining sections togetherat points spaced substantially from their points of connection to their individual horizontal structural members.

frame supporting the instrumentalities mounted therein in a fixed cooperative relationship to each other, means connecting the frames of adjoining sections together end to end but permitting limited relative movement between them to enable the respective frames to accommodate themselves to variations in the level of the oor on which the spinning frame is supported, and flexible joints connecting the ends of the shafts of one section to corresponding shafts of the next adjoining section to drive the shafts of one section from those of another, said joints being adapted to accommodatefmisalignment of the shafts which they connect.

2 I A spinning frame comprising a series of sections located end to end; each section having its of another, said joints including radially slidable` members serving to transmit torque from one shaft to the other.

. 22. A spinning frame comprising a series of sections locatedend to end; each'section having its own set 'of spinning instrumentalities, including rotary shafts .individual thereto and a frame supporting the instrumentalities mounted therein in a xed cooperative relationship to each other, means connecting the frames of adjoining`i 24. A spinning frame comprising a series of sections located end to end; each section having its own set of spinning instrumentalities including rotary shafts individual thereto and a frame supporting said instrumentalities; each of said frames including two transversely disposed upright plates at opposite ends thereof and structural members connecting said plates and securing them rigidly together, and means securing said end plates of adjoining sections together but spaced apart, certain of the operating instrumentalities for said sections being located between the end plates of adjoining sections.

25. A spinning frame comprising a series of sections located end to end; each section having its own set of spinning instrumentalities including rotary shafts individual thereto and a frame supporting said instrumentalities; each of said frames including two transversely disposed upright plates at opposite ends thereof and structural members 'connecting said plates and securing them rigidly together, the edges of said plates being anged and the flanges of each extending toward and abutting against the end plate of an adjoining section, said plates being iiexible transversely but stable in their own planes, and means connecting said end plates of adjoining sections together, including bearings having parts located between the plates, certain of said operating instrumentalities being supported in said bearings and enclosed between th'e end plates of adjoining sections. 5

26. A spinning frame comprising a series of sections, each section being a substantially complete spinning unit and including a set of spindles and a ring rail cooperating with them, means sespinning instrumentalities and a frame support-v ing'its own set of spinning instrumentalities. including rotary shafts individual thereto and a frame supporting said instrumentalities; the

frame for each section being adapted to rest on the iioor and 'including structural members supporting the elements of its respective spinning ing them, each of said frames including two uplright plates at opposite ends thereof and structural members connecting said plates and securing them together, said plates having legs, means for securing two corresponding legs of the abutting end plates of adjoining sections together, a foot in which said pair of said legs is mounted, said foot being adapted to rest on the floor, and a vertically disposed screw cooperating with one leg 'of said pair and with the footsupporting them for adjusting the relationship of said legs to said foot.

mechanism in a definite and lcooperative relationship notwithstanding misalignment oi' an ad-l jacent section with referencethereto and also including transversely disposed end platos having a limited degree of transverse flexibility, means securing said end plates of adjoining sections, together in abutting relationship and thereby connecting said sections end to end, whereby said sections are permitted a limited degree of movement one relatively to another to enable them to accommodate themselves individually to the 29.. A spinningA frame comprising spinning instrumentalities including rotary shafts individual thereto and a frame supporting said instrumentalities, a head and mechanism forl driving said shafts comprising a frame structure including a plurality of upright posts and brackets mountedl .on said posts and supported by them, gearing mounted on said brackets, said mechanism being constructed and organized as an independent unit, means releasably securing said unit to said spinning frame, and means for. releasably connecting certain of said gears to the said shafts inspinning instrumentalities and a frame supporting them, each of said frames including two transversely disposed upright plates at opposite ends thereof and longitudinal structural members connecting said plates and securing them together,V additional members resting on theiloor and supv porting said lend plates,l and means adjustably connecting said frames with said additional members and operable to adjust the corners of said frames independently of eachother.

32. A spinning frame comprising a series of sections, each section being a substantially complete spinning unit with its own frame adapted to rest on the floor and with rotary shafts individual l`to it, means releasably connecting the frames of saidsections together endv to end to hold them in a denite cooperativi?l relationship to each other, said means and said 'ifgaiies being constructed and arranged to permit .i'elative vmovement of adjoining -frames to enableeach of them to accommodate itself to the requirements of the floor on -which it rests, Oldham joints connecting together y. the shafts of adjoining sections so asto drive those of one section from the corresponding shafts of, the next section, and mechanisin at one end of said series of sections for' driving the shafts of all of said sections'in unison.

Vto drive one from another.

anism for said spindles and rotary shai requirements of the floor o'n which the machine rests. and flexible couplings releasably connect- -ing together the shafts of adjoining sections so as to -drive those of one section from the corresponding shafts -of thc next section.

34. A spinning frame comprising a series of essentially identical sections located end to end; each section having its own set of spinning instrumentalities, including rotary shafts individual thereto and a frame supporting said instrumentalities; the frame for each section having parts adapted to rest on the iloor at opposite ends o1' the section and including structural members supporting the elements of its respective spinning mechanismin a ydeilnite and cooperative relationship notwithstanding misalignment of an adjacent section with reference thereto and also including end members having a limited degree of transverse ilexibility, and means securing said end members of adjoining sections together and thereby connecting said sections end to end.v 35;'A spinning frame comprising a series of essentially identicalsections located end to'end; each section having its own set of spinninginstrumentalities, including spindles and driving'V mechanisms for said spindles; each section also including a frame supporting said instrumentalities, said spindlesand the driving mechanism for them; means securing the frames-of said sections together end to end in cooperative relationship to each other, and means connecting the spindle driving mechanisms of adjacent sections 1 36. A spinning frame comprising a series of essentially ident-ical sections located end to end; each section having .its own set of spinning instrumentalities, including spindles, driv mechn individual to said sections; each section also including a frame supporting saidv instrumentalities, spindles, driving mechanism and shafts: means securing the frames of said sections together end to end in cooperative relationship to each other,

and means connecting the shafts and driving mechanisms of adjacent sections to drive one from another including joints'connecting the adjacent ends of the shafts of adjoining sections,v and bearings at the junctions of said frames supporting said connecting means.

37. A sectional unit for a spinning frame, comprising a^set of spinning instrumentalities and means operativelyA supporting said` instrumental- 70 ities and including two upright end members and parallel horizontal members secured to and connecting said end members together and cooperating with them to form a rigidframe, said end 33; A spinning frame comprising a series o! members being flexible transversely but stable inV sections located end to end; each section 'hav- 75 vertical planes.

38. A spinning frame comprising a series of essentially identical sections, each section being a substantially complete spinning unit and including spinning instrumentalities and rotary shafts individual thereto and a frame supporting said instrumentalities and said shafts, said frame including transversely disposed end members, means securing the frames o! said sections together with said transversely disposed members of one section in abutting relationship to those of an ad- Joining section, meansconnecting similar shafts of adjoining sections, and mechanism at one end of said series of sections for driving the shafts of all oi' said sections in unison.

39..A spinning frame comprising a series of substantially identical sections located end to en d, each section having its own set of spinning instrumentalities and a rigid frame supporting` said instrumentalities in fixed cooperative relationship to Veach other, and means securing the frames of said sections together end to end in a continuous series.

40. A spinning frame comprising a series of substantially identical sections located end to end, each section having its own set 0f spinning instrumentalities and a rigid frame supporting said instrumentalities in iixed cooperative relationship to each other, said frame having upright transversely disposed end members, and means securing said end members of adjoining sections together in abutting relationship to each other.

4l. A sectional unit for a spinning frame comprising a set of spinning instrumentalities including spindles, and a frame supporting said Y' instrumentalities and comprising longitudinal frame members supporting said spindles, transout of line with an adjoining section without disturbing the cooperative relationship between the elements of the individual sections.

` LOUIS M. COTCHETT. 

